Automatic mechanism for raising liquids



Oct. 6, 1925. l

S. M. GREENIDGE AUTOMATIC MECHANISM lFOR RAISING LIQUIDS.

Filed Dec. 24. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 mululmwf .WM Y,057

Oct. 6, 1925. $55,963

M, GREENIDGE AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR R-LISJG LIQUIDE Filed. Das. 1923 3 Smets-Shea?. 2

S. M. GREENIDGE AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR RAISINGLIQUIDS lFilled Dec. v24 1921 3 Sheets-Shet 3 www Patented Oct. 6, 1925.

SAMUEL M; GREEN'IDGE, 0F WSHINGTON', DISTRICT 0F' COLUMBIA.

IUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR RAISIG" LIQUIDS;

Appneaunfued December 24, 1921.

To QZZ 107mm t may con-ccm.'

Be it known that` l.V SAMUEL M. Ganan- IDGE, a citizen oftheUnited States, andresident of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful"lmprovements in Automatic Mechanism Y proved mechanism for automatically ejecting oil, water, or other liquids, 'from a well, andone of the obje-cts of my invention. is to provide a mechanism of this character which, thoughl automatically ejecting oil or water fromv a well at intervals depending ontlie rapidity with which-oil or water accanitila'tesin the well, yet has only a very t'e-w moving parts, and is ot' the utmost simplic ity in construction. y v y Anotherv object ofthe invention is to pr-ovide an automatic ejecting means ot' this character which may beoperated either by an artiiicial pressure introduced into the well, or by the naturalpressure of gas in the well or surrounding strata; the shittingA trom natural'to artiticial pressure, or vice versa, requiring only av slight modiicationr in the arrangei'ne-nt'ot' the pressure supply pipe.

another advantage jot my invention resides in'so arranging the mechanism that the float controlling the mechanism in accordance with the level of' the oil or water in the well, may be located either below or above the mechanism, as the conditions of the particular. well may demand. y

.Another object of the invention is to provide a. simple means by which the ejecting mechanisinmay be maintained in voperative position tor a sutlicienttimeto insure the-oil or water boing'v completely ejected from the eduction pipe.

Other and further objects of' my invention-will appear as the description proceeds.

l will now describe aY particular forni of my invention, it being understood thatthose skilled in the art may makeniany changes and modiiications therein without departing troni the spirit 1ofthe: invention as delined in the appended claims,` and the drawings 'torining part of this specication are theretorc to be considered merely as illustrative, andnot in any limiting sense.

ln-tlie drawings Figure l is a vertical seetional View oit the Serial No. 524,602,

well casing, pipes, and operating'me'chanism; the float being shown inelevation, and'there being a break between the top and bottom portion of the well.

Figure 2 is an enlargedI elevation of the mechanism; the wellcasing. and guard being in section. i

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the mechanism, taken at right angies tothe view shown in Figure l; thel well casingvbeing omitted.

Figure 4l' is a detail sectional view showing the lower valve in closed-position.

Figure 5 istl an enlarged horizontal sectionalview taken on line 5?-5 of'Figure l.

Figure 6A is anv enlarged horizontal sec-- tional view taken on line'G-Gvof Figure l; the-well casing being. omitted.

Figure 7- is. an enlarged horizontal` sectional view taken on line 7'-7 of Figure 1; the well casingbeing omitted. f

Figure S is an enlarged*` horizontalV secf tional view taken online 8 8 ofFigure l; the well casing beingA omitted.

.Figure 9` is. an enlarged horizontalv sectionalview taken on line 9 9Y of Figure l;

the well casing being omitted.

Cil

Figure lOis a, vertical sectional view of a moditiedvform of the appa-ratuspthe float, guard, and well casing being. omitted; and,

Figure 1l is a detail view showingone arrangement-'ofthe pressure supply pipe when the. ejecting mechanismlis being operated by natural pressure.

Referring tothe drawings more'in detail, nume "all.indicatestheordinary well casing, which in the present instance is closedV at the top by packing'referredto by numeral 2.. This packingv is preferably of rubber.

Passingdowninto the well are two pipes, 3 and 4l; kpipe 3 beinghereatter referred to as the pressuresupply'pipe;.and pipe'll'being hereafter referred to as the. eduction. pipe. Adj acentthe. bottom. of. the wellthese pipesv 3 andV 4. are connected with a body member 5, whiclrbody member is preferably` a single piece casting and is provided withl certain passages, valves,etc.,tto be later de-y scribed. Anotherpipe 6i is attached tothe bodyI member adjacent the bott-om` thereof,.-

andi-n the particular embodiment illustra-ted,

a float Tis adaptedtofride on this pipe, its position, ol' course, being controlled bythe level of the oil, water, or other liquidV in the well.v t will` be obvious thatiit isnot essential that the float be mounted on the pipe, as any other arrangement would produce the desired result.

The pressure supply pipe 3 communicates with a passage 8 in the body member, and this passage communicates, through a valve 9, with another passage 10 leading to the eduction pipe 4. Opening into the pressure supply passage 8 is another passage 11 leading through a valve 12 to the bottom of a cylinder 13. Mounted in the cylinder 13 is a piston 14 carrying the piston rod 15.

A link 16 (Figures 2 and3) connects the iioat 7 withan operating arm 17 of the cylinder valve 12, and the arrangement is such that when the float has been raised to acertain point by accumulation of oil or water,

the cylinder valve 12 will be moved to open position as shown in Figure 1. Pressure is thus admitted to the bottom of cylinder 13, and the piston and piston rod are raised. Another link 18 connects the piston rod 15 with the valve 9, and the arrangement is such that as the piston rod is raised the valve 9 is moved to open position so that communication is opened between the pressure supply passage 8 and the eduction passage 10;

and also between the oil or water supply pipe 6 and the eduction passage 10. In order to function in the manner described, the valve 9 is provided with two passages 19 and 20; the passage 19 communicating with the pressure. supply passage and the eduction passage when the valve is open; and the passage 20 communicating with the oil or water supply pipe 6 and the eduction passage 10 when the valve is open. vWhen the valve is moved to closed position communication is cut off between the pressure supply passage and the eduction passage, and also between the oil or water supply pipe and the eduction passage, as clearly shown in Figure 4. rlhe operation of the apparatus thus far described is as follows:

Asthe oil or water accumulates the float will rise, andthrough the linlr connection 16 the cylinder valve 12 will be moved to open position and pressure willbe admitted to cylinder 13 through the passage 11. The admission of pressureto the cylinder will cause thc piston and piston rod to rise, and the link connection between the piston rod and the valve 9, will cause the latter to be moved to open position as shown in Figure 1. The fluid pressure in the passage 8 will now pass ythrough passage 19 into the eduction passage 10 and will lift the oil or water through the pipe 6 and eject it through the eductionpipe 4. The oil or water will be rapidly ejected and the float will fall, thereby closing the cylinder valve 12 and thus clutting ott the pressure supply to the cylinc er.

It will be apparent that if the ejectmg fluid pressure is admitted to the eduction passage only momentarily it might happen that the oil or water would not be lifted all the way to the top of the well and hence would fall back in the eduction pipe when the ejecting pressure was cut off. It is thcrefore highly desirable that some means be provided to insure the ejecting pressure being applied for a sufficient period to entirely clear the eduction pipe. For this purpose l have provided the following means.

A by-pass 21 communicates with the top and bottom of the cylinder, and the size of the by-pass passage is adjusted by any desirable means, such as a screw plug 22. Now when pressure to the cylinder is cut oft, the spring 23 will slowly force the piston downwardly, the fluid passing from the bottom of the cylinder through the by-pass and back into the cylinder above the piston. As the piston slowly descends the valve 9 will be moved to its closed position and the fluid pressure to the eduction passage will be cut j off. At the neXt cycle of operation when pressure is admitted to the bottom of the cylinder the pressure above the piston will be permitted to escape through the one-way valve 24. To permit access to th'eone-way valve 24, an aperture is provided in the wall of the body member, the wall of the aperture being screw-threaded and receiving a plug 25.

The time required for the piston to descend, and hence the time of closing the valve 9, is adjusted by the adjustment of the size of the by-pass passage by means of the adjusting screw 22. from the foregoing description that the closing of the valve 9 is entirelyv independent of the float.

It may be desirable to protect the mechanism from injury, particularly when lowering it into the well, and for that purpose I have provided a guard member 26, which is shown as entirely surrounding the mechanism and being closed at the top and bottom. Apertures 27 are provided in the bottom 0f the guard to permit the oil or water to reach the float, and atI the same time preventing sand or other solid material from reaching the mechanism and interfering with its proper function. I form of the guard member does not constitute any essential part of the invention, and

itl may be entirely open at the bottom or top, or both; or it may be entirely omitted if preferred.

It is to be noted that the float 7 could be arranged above the casting 5 if the conditions of certain wells demanded such an arrangement. Obviously it is only necessary to place a float of the proper construction above the casting and connect it with the operating arm 17 of the valve 12 by means of the link 16. The operation of the mechanism would remain exactly the same.

It will be apparentlll() The particular lgmfa In: Figure 1.0? Iyha'vei. shown .at slightlyy modified; formzot the mechanism.; the main;

differencey being; that a1 reciprocatingji valve is substituted for the rotaryfvalveQ: The:

pressure supplyl passage 8,. eduction passage 10, passageA 11, cylinder valve 12. and the mechanism for: operatingr said, valve,. cylint= 24.-, oil: or water supply pipe: 6:, and' variousy other elements, remainj the; saine as previousl'y describedI and'. no.. further descrip-- tion thereof is necessary;` Ini thisa construction, howeveig. the piston rod115 extends.

downwardly and is connected with areciprocating double valve 28'; A1 'spring 29 exerts pressure onf. the valvei 28' to normally hold' it iny its loweredipositi-on. When the float.

is raised bythe acciiinulationzofoil orfwaterf,

the cylinder f valve: 12:v will be; opened-s in' the.H 5' manner/previously described, rthus admitting pressure'to the cylinder: and; raising the piston-14- As thevpistonA rod. rises it lifts.

the double valve 28 and permits direct. coinmunication. between' the pressure supply passage. 8l andthe'eduction passage: 10, and

also between the oilr or water supply pipe 6- and the eduction: passage 10, as clearly shown'inFigurelOj Vhen the oil or water is ejected'andltheiloat drops back the supply. of' pressure to. the' cylinder will? be cut off by the valve 12; and the spring" 29 will force the pistonf and: doublexvalve slowly downward, its movement1A being retarded'v in' the previously described manner by: means i Y of; the'by-pass 21'. When thevalve-reaches its lowermost position it. cutsoffcommuni-- cation between the pressureA supply..V passage and. the eduction passa ge and? alsov between the oil orwater supply `pipe'andtlie eduction:

passage, as willbe obvious from an'inspection of Figure 10.

ln the foregoing; description it*` has been assumed that suiiicient artificial' pressure would be supplied to the. pressure supply` pipe to operate the mechanism andv t-o'eject the oil, water, or otlierliquid. But in many localities there islsuflicient natural: gas-pressure in theY welllV or surrounding: strata tooperate the mechanism: and'eject the "liquid,

and in accordance withmy invention,.this naturalA pressure may: be employedy in the` same manner aswith the use lof artificialV pressure. Une arrangiamenti adapted' for use in connection with naturalpressurefis indicatedin Figure 11:. IirtliisA arrangement the upper portion of. the pressure supply piper is dispensed with, andthe remainingisection otthis pipe is closed; at tlietop by'a plug 30,- or other closure. The' sectionot1 pipe-3remaining must be of suliicient length toeX- tend a short'v distance,v above Athehighest level to whiclroilor other/liquid willfrisef inthe well. Aperturesiil lare providedI in the sec-- tion 3,v adj acent tl'ieftop thereof, whereby the naturallgasunder pressure inthe well may 'enter pipe 31 and operate*themechanisml in the manner previously described in connec-A tion with the'use'fof artificialpressure. In place ofl usin the shortened: pipe section; 3- asshown in lgigiire'll, the same result may sure supply pipe?)l at the top of' the well; and by providing suitable'y apertures in this pipeat a pointl above the highest level to which the oil or water'will` rise inthe well.

When natural gas. pressureis used for operating the mechanism, only such small` amounts of itV willbe used as arenecessary fto eject theoil or other liquid fi-.omthe well during the timevalves arey open,- and thee natural gas will thereby be.y conserved for useV in other processes` suchas lighting or heating.

' NVhen the'inechanisinis to be operated by` artificialv pressure, such ascoinpressed air.,

there will beno necessity for the closing-'ofthe passage 20 in.V valve 9, Figure 1,. or Aof using; the lower portion of. thedoubleivalve 28, Figure 10. The omission of these parts would thereby simplify the construction: of the mechanism and still further simplify or. reduce the' number of moving and. wearing parts.

In the use offartiicial pressure, such as,v

compressed air, for the operationfot' the mechanism, there will. usually be moreyor less water in the pressure supply passage due to `condensation but. this will notinterfeie withthe proper working of the mecha-r nism, as obviously liquid.pressureadmitted to the cylinderyl would operate the mecha rnism in the same manner as-whengaspres-y beaccomplished'by simply closing the; pres-l fio and allfsuclrlaim to include inlthe scope-ot the appended claims;

That I.- claim as new and desire to secure.

by Letters Patent is s 1. An automatic mechanismy for raising liquids from a well, including a pressure'y supply pipe,- an eductioni pipe, and a liquid: supply, pipe, ay valve for controlling communication between thev three pipes, andl meansfor controlling saidvalve in accord.- ancewith the-level ot the liquid inthe well.

2. An automatic mechanism for raising. liquids/ from a well,.including abo-dyY mehr ber provided with a pressure supply passage, an eduction passage, and a liquid supply inlet, a valve for controlling communica-tion between the pressure supply passage, the eduction passage, and the liquid supply inlet, and means for controlling the operation of said valve in accordance with the level of the liquid in the well.

3. An automatic mechanism for raising liquid from a well, including` a pressure supply passage, an eduction passage, a 'valve for controlling communication between the said passa-ges, means for operating said valve in accordance with the level of the liquid in the well, and means for retarding the closing ot said valve.

4. An automatic mechanism for raising liquid from a'well, including a body member providedwith a pressure supply passage, an eduction passage, and a liquid supply inlet, a rotary valve for controlling communication between the pressure supply passage, the eduction passage and the liquid supply inlet, and means controlled by the level of the liquid in the well for rotating said valve to open position.

5. An automatic mechanism 'for raising liquid from a well, including a body niember provided with a pressure supply passage, an eduction passage, and a liquid supply inlet, a rotary valve for controlling communication between the pressure supply passage, the eduction passage and the liquid supply inlet, means controlled by the level of the liquidin the well for rotating said valve to open position, and means tor retarding the closing of said valve. i

6. An automatic mechanism 'for raising liquid from a well, including a pressure supply passage, an eduction passage, and aV liquid supply inlet, a rotary 'valve for controlling communication between the said passages and inlet, said valve being provided with two passages so arranged that one passage will communicate with the pressure supply passage and the eduction passage when the valve is open, and the other will coininunicate with the liquid supply inlet and the eduction passage when the valve is open.

7. An automatic mechanism for raising liquid trom a well, including a pressure supply passage, an eduction passage, and a liquid supply inlet, a rotary valve for controlling communication between the said passages and inlet, said valve being provided with two passages so arranged that one passage will communicate with the pressure supply passage and the eduction passage when the valve is open, and the other will cominunioate with the liquid supply inlet and the eduction passagewhen the valve is open, and means controlled by the level of the liquid in the well for rotating said valve to open position.

8. An automatic mechanism for raising liquid from a well,` including a pressure supply passage, and an eduction passage, a

valve for controlling communication between said passages, a cylinder and piston,

a passage leading from the pressure supply Y passage to the bottomof said cylinder, a second valve 'for controlling said passage, a float, a connection between said lloat and said second valve to open the valve andadmit pressure to the cylinder when the 'lloat rises, and a connection between the piston and the first mentioned valve, whereby the first mentioned lvalve is opened when the piston is raised.

'9. An automatic mechanism for raising Vliquid from a well, including a pressure sup.-

ply passage, and an eduction passage, ak

rises, a connection between the pistonl and the tirst mentioned valve, wherebythe first mentioned valve is opened when the cylinder is raised, and a by-pass from the bottom of said cylinder for controlling the descent or'V the piston.

10. An automatic mechanism for raising liquid from a well, including a pressure supply passage, and an eduction passage, a valve for controlling communication between said passages, a cylinder and piston, a second valve for controlling the admission of pressure to said cylinder, a float connected with and operating said second valve in accordance with the level of the liquid in the well, a connection between the said piston and the lirst mentioned valve, whereby said first mentioned valve is opened by movement of the piston, and means for retarding the descent of said piston.

'11. An automatic mechanism for raising liquid from a well, including a pressure supply passage and an education passage, a

valve for controlling* communication between said passages, a cylinder and piston, a second valve for controlling the admission Vof pressure to said cylinder, a float connected with llO and operating said second valve in accordance with the level of the liquid in the well,

a connection, between the said piston and the iirst mentioned valve, whereby said lirst mentioned valve is opened when the piston is raised, and an adjustable by-pass for retarding the closing of the first mentioned valve.

l2. An automatic mechanism for raising liquid from a well, including a pressure supply passage and an eduction passage, a valve for controlling communication between saidy pas-sages, and means for opening and closing said valve, said means being controlled by the level of the liquid in the Well 'for opening the valve, and being operable to close the valve after the liquid has fallen to a predetermined level.

13. An automatic mechanism for raising liquid from a Well, including an eduction passage and a liquid supply passage, a valve for controlling communication between said passages, and means for opening and closing said valve, said means being controlled by the level of the liquid in the Well -foi opening said valve, and being operable to close the valve after the liquid has fallen to a predetermined level.4

14. An automatic mechanism for raising liquid from a Well, including a pressure supply passage, an eduction passage, a liquid supply passage, and a valve for controlling communication between said three passages, and means for opening and closing said valve, said means being controlled by the' .levels of tlie liquid in the Well for opening said valve, and being operable to close the valve after the liquid has fallen to a predetermined level.

15. An automatic mechanism for raising liquid .from a Well, including a body member, said body member being provided With a pressure supply passage and an eduction passage, a valve for controlling communication between said passages, a float for opening said valve, and a guard member surrounding said body member and float.

SAMUEL M. GREENIDGE. 

